Numbers to
Program (and NOT Program) in to Your Wireless Phone:
▶ Add an
entry in your phone book, "ICE" (In Case
of Emergency) and a relative's phone number. In case of an accident, it
gives you a better chance of your being identified and relatives
notified.
▶ Add the Local direct number to certain Public
Safety agencies, like
*CSP, #77 and the like. A 911 operator needs to determine the nature of
your call, but a direct call to the right agency will expedite your
request.
▶ Make
sure you enter a number for "HOME", even
if you never call home.
It's the most-often used way for someone who finds a lost cell phone to
return it to the owner.
▶ If
you belong to AAA or other auto club, be
sure to save their number
in your phone book. Your auto manufacturer and insurance company may
offer help as well.
▶ Add
your power company and land line repair
service to the list. A
phone directory may not be available when the power is off or the cable
is dead.
▶ Do
NOT add "911" to your speed dial list. This
alone accounts for a
huge number of accidental calls to 911 operators.
▶ Get
a List of Important Numbers to have
before you roam outside the country.
▶ Do
these things now...before
you need them!
Move
Your Number from One
Carrier to Another:
You can move, or "port", your phone number from wireless or wireline
carrier to another. Not
only can you keep your wireless number when
you change carriers, you can also perform a few of tricks by "porting"
your number which can
enable you to make a lot more changes that you were previously
told were not possible. Our Guide
to Moving
Your Number is a must-read
before you start the process.
You can really mess it up if you make changes in the wrong order.
Add a "+1" to the Entries in Your
Phone Book
If
you ever travel outside the US, adding a "+1" (without the
quotation marks!) allows you to use your phone book both in and outside
the US. The "+" tells the phone to automatically add the
foreign
access string, if any, and the "1" is the country code for all
numbers in the US and North America. You don't really
need to
add it today except for your most important numbers, just get into the
habit with all new numbers.
Get a Phone Number in
the Exchange or Area Code You Want
Your
wireless carrier may not be able to provide a phone number in your
choice of Area Codes. It's important to some people. With "Number
Portability" you can fix that, although it's not free. Contact your
local wireline phone company and order a real phone line (or wireless
from a cellular carrier that does offer service in
your desired Area Code, but watch out for Early
Termination Fees). You can "install" the
wireline in a home or business, some phone companies will assign you a
"virtual" phone number that rings another. You may not have many
choices of numbers. Then, contact your cellular provider to "port" your
number from wireline (or wireless) to your final wireless account. The
final wireless carrier will help you through that. This action will
cancel the old service for you. Don't do it yourself, but check with
the carrier later to make sure it terminated properly.
Of, course, you could keep the new wireline active and just Call
Forward that number to your cell phone. This can be done with both
actual and virtual phone numbers. You may need to pay for a certain
amount of service, installation charges, and go through the headache
of choosing a long distance carrier, but how bad you you want it?
"Hide"
Your Phone Number:
The
easiest way to hide your phone number is to use Call Forwarding from
another number such as Google
Voice. Be careful about what
number shows on outgoing calls. Google
Voice can be
configured to show either your actual or Google Voice number on
outgoing
calls, however, this does NOT apply to outgoing Text Messages. If
you really need to block your phone number you can enter a program code
(such as *67) to hide your Caller ID. Most carriers
can also
permanently block your outgoing Caller ID.
Google
Voice Gives You Control of All the Numbers for All Your Phones:
Google can assign a Free phone number that is tied to you, not to a
device or a location. Make
and receive calls, send and get texts, and read and listen to
voice mails on your phone, tablet, or computer. You can
choose
a random number, one that is meaningful to you, or you can
transfer your existing number. Subscribe
to Google Voice
and get flexible Number Portability and a full slate of phone features
all fully programmable. You can choose what number rings what
phone at what time, cheap international wireless calls, and voice mail
that responds to each caller in the way you choose.
Cutting the Cord but Saving the Home Phone
Number:
If
you plan to dump your landline, there are several ways to
preserve
the number whether you want to use it or just hold on to it. Some
solutions are Free and others are really cheap.
Get a More
"Businesslike" Number
for Your Cellular Phone:
When
you place an ad online, in the newspaper, on your business
card or the back of your truck, customers often know that's a
cell phone number, making your
business look a little less 'legitimate.' With "Number Portability" you
can fix that, although it's not free.
Contact your local wireline phone company and order a real phone line.
You can "install" it wherever you'd like, some phone companies will
assign you a "virtual" phone number that rings another. You won't have
many choices of a number, but choose one with an "old" exchange people
would recognize, or one that you recognize as
"businesslike". Then, contact your cellular provider to "port" your
number from wireline to wireless. You may need to establish a new
wireless account, but the wireless carrier will help you through that.
This action will cancel the wireline for you. Don't do it yourself, but
check with the wireline later to make sure it terminated properly.
There are more tips for number
portability here. Of, course, you could keep the new wireline
number and just forward the number to your cell phone. This can be done
with both actual and virtual phone numbers. Some carriers offer
"vanity" phone numbers that spell something, at an additional charge.
You may need to pay for a certain amount of wireline service,
installation charges, and go through the headache choosing a long
distance carrier, but in the end, you'll look like you're in business
at an 'established' location.
You Can
Make Calls Without an
Assigned Phone Number
There are a handful of apps that make calls through an IP (Internet
Protocol) connection to the public phone network and that includes
connections made through the
broadband portion of your wireless phone. Some apps also
allow incoming calls however, only through the app and not through the
public telephone network.
Change
Your Phone Number:
You
can get away from pesky callers or maintain your privacy by changing
your actual wireless phone number from time to time. You can use one of
the above methods to change
the number others can see, or you can contact your carrier and just ask
for a number change. Most carriers permit a free number
change
once every 6 months. They will also change or make private
numbers that have fallen into dangerous hands, without charge.
Be
careful! You could easily trade your old number for one previously
owned by a shady character. You could get a whole new batch
of
annoying calls...or make some new friends!
Vanity Phone Numbers:
You can get
a custom phone number. These are often offered by landline
carriers and you can get a phone number that is
relevant to your life, like your address, or a number
that spells a
name or a word on a phone keypad. These numbers are
charged extra but
can be utilized in different locations with virtual number assignments
or with other manipulations mentioned above. There may be restrictions
if you want to "port"
your number from landline to wireless.
